State Police Sweatshirts
 |
 NJ STATE POLICE SWEAT SHIRT GOLF SHIRT PBA FOP  US $40.00
|
 NJSP POLICE SWEAT SHIRT NJ STATE POLICE PBA FOP US $40.00
|
 New Jersey State Police LARGE Adult Gray Embroidered Sweat Shirt US $29.95
|
Why should we trust anything Sarah Palin says?
- Palin lied about the Bridge To Nowhere. She ran for office favoring it, wore a sweatshirt defending it, only gave it up
when Congress went ballistic.
- She lied about her firing of the town librarian and police chief of Wasilla, Alaska.
- She lied about pressure on Alaska's public safety commissioner to fire her ex-brother-in-law.
- She lied about her previous statements on climate change.
- She lied about Alaska's contribution to America's oil and gas production.
- Palin lied about the progress in constructing a natural gas pipeline from Alaska.
- She lied about Obama's position on habeas corpus.
- She lied about the use or non-use of a TelePrompter at the St Paul convention.
- She lied about her alleged pay-cut as mayor of Wasilla.
- She lied about what Alaska's state scientists concluded about the health of the polar bear population in Alaska.
- When asked a question, she does everything in her power to avoid answering it and changing the subject.
I wouldn't believe that sleazy tart if she said the sun was going to rise in the east tommorrow.
In my research about generational differences, I stumbled across some work by Morris Massey. His main theory is: "what you are, is where you were when" (the "where" refers to your coming-of-age years; and the "when" to significant events occurring during that time period). For example, if you came of age during the JFK years, you would have a very different view of government than those who grew up under later administrations.
Recent political contests and the start of the New Year brought Massey's theory to mind as 25 years ago, in 1983, I was smack dab in the middle of high school. So I took a look back at the significant events that shaped my views and those of my peers who came of age during the much maligned, but surprisingly progressive 1980s.
Pop Culture -- In 1983, Madonna burst "Like a Virgin" onto the scene. Today this seems an almost tame way to introduce one's self compared to the Spears sisters' rallying cry of "Oops, I did it again and again and, yep, make that once again." Of course, back then Paris was just a city; ankle bracelets were just jewelry; and the only Ritchie we knew was crooning, "Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady."
Twenty-five years ago before satellite radio and iTunes, Sting was a Police-man watching every breath we took and John Mellencamp was still a Cougar. At the box office, Tom Cruise had his first taste of "Risky Business," Matthew Broderick played "War Games" and Jennifer Beals had us ripping our sweatshirts and dancing like maniacs -- a "Flashdance" trend most of us would like to forget. Earlier in 1983, the Academy honored "Ghandi" leading a nation; Richard Gere carrying Debra Winger "up where we belong"; Dustin Hoffman dressing in drag; and an alien phoning home.
On the small screen, long before "American Idol" churned out pop stars and women bonded over "Sex and the City," we watched "Fame" and followed female pals "Kate & Allie" and "Cagney & Lacey." Yet, not all female television characters were friends, as 1983 was the year that Joan Collins and Linda Evans took their famous tumble into the lily pond on "Dynasty." (I'm still awaiting a modern-day rematch with Rosie O'Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Now that would be one "Survivor" episode worth viewing.)
A quarter of a century ago, OJ was still running for rental cars, not from rent-a-cops. We held Michael Jackson in awe, instead of "ew . . . " Ozzy was the only Osbourne. Rod Stewart and Woody Allen had relationships with women old enough to know better, and we still believed Princess Diana had married Prince Charming.
In retrospect, life was pretty innocent back then. Yet, there was an inkling of things to come as 1983 marked the year that Karen Carpenter's death introduced anorexia and a French scientist discovered HIV.
Technology -- Today I watch TV on my computer, take pictures with my camera, surf the Web from my phone and download music from the Internet. But it wasn't until 1983 that Microsoft Word was first distributed, compact discs were released and Motorola introduced mobile phones to the public. Back then, a blackberry was just a fruit; a blue tooth would mean a call to the dentist; and the most sought after holiday present was not a video game, but a Cabbage Patch Kid that didn't even have a second life as an avatar in an online community.
That was all soon to change as 1983 was the year that ARPANET began using the Internet Protocol, helping create the Internet.
Politics/Legal -- In 1983, the Reagan administration was focused on the Soviets, "Star Wars" and "just saying no." Congress came together to create Martin Luther King Day and Jesse Jackson announced his intention to run for president. Universal and Sony were duking it out in the Supreme Court over the videotaping of television broadcasts. (If they only knew what that little known Internet thingy would have in store for them.)
Women's rights were at a high point in 1983. Sally Ride ventured into space and just two years after appointing the first female justice, the Supreme Court limited the power of state and local governments to restrict access to legal abortions and ruled that employers must treat male and females equally in providing health benefits. It's no surprise that only a year later presidential candidate Walter Mondale selected Geraldine Ferraro as a running mate.
1983 was also a year where we actually witnessed wars coming to a close as the US withdrew from Grenada and 125 million of us tuned in for the final episode of "M*A*S*H."
Retrospective wrap-up -- Looking back, I was fortunate to grow up in an era of relative innocence, innovation, opportunity and optimism. Although I must confess that it might have made me a bit naive. You see, in 1983, I was living in Maryland and rooting for the Washington Redskins as they won the Super Bowl and the Baltimore Orioles who later that year won the World Series. I thought hometown-winning streaks went on forever.
Looking forward, I hope that my son learns as I did that even when the winning streaks come to an end and society seems to be moving in the wrong direction, it can be just as rewarding to root for underdogs, long-shots, explorers and dreamers who upset the status quo and shake up the world as we know it.
Diane K. Danielson is the CEO of http://www.DowntownWomensClub.com a business network and career website for women and the co-author of The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking (or What Would Jane Austen Do?). For more of her random musing, check out her blog at http://www.womensDISH.com